Please!! Learn from my Mistake!

[Mstrkage]

I did some brake work to day at the hobby shop on base just some simple maintenance right? In the process of taking off my tire and rim I used one of there well used impacts.
On the way to the bars tonight (I was playing the role of DD) I felt a huge vibration shortly after getting off the interstate. On my attempt to pull over into a parking lot the driver side tire came off! I made it the 20 or so feet to the nearest parking lot cutting a deep gash into the pavement and making alot of noise. I managed to retrieve the tire and using a lug nut from each the other tires I got myself and my friend home. Here is the even scarier thing, Every other lug nut on my jeep was loose!
I tightened every lug nut down with the same impact gun, hitting each one a couple of times, I even thought to myself I was probably over torquing the nuts. But obviously not, so please double and even triple check your work, luckily I was only going about 15 when it actually came off and there wasn't much traffic.
Thank god it wasn't a front tire!

[tharlanjr]

Its the impact gun, I have heard that if you use an impact gun the lugs end up coming loose when you drive.

I don't know why, its just what I have been told.

I would just use a torque wrench or a tire iron...

Glad your ok though!!!

[Mstrkage]

At home I always use a torque wrench, but I let myself get in a hurry trying to get out of that place, the studs appear o.k. but my belief is the impact was lacking in the power department!

[8Mud]

I torque them, then again a few days later and invariably find a couple that have loosened up. Torque them, then torque them again a few days later.

[Freaky McPants]

I hate the Base Hobby Shop. The first time I went there was to replace the Oil Seal in the back of my 91's auto tranny, which involved removing the Drive Shaft. Well, the Douche Bags that worked there would not let me do it myself because of their crazy "do it yourself hours", and I ended up having them do it. The next day, the Drive Shaft fell out of my Jeep when I was going 75mph down the Freeway. They Torqued the piss out of the little tiny strap bolts, and they sheared off at the axle yoke. Eff the Base Hobby Shop. Oh ya, their tools have always been big piles of Crap.

[8Mud]

I hate the Base Hobby Shop. The first time I went there was to replace the Oil Seal in the back of my 91's auto tranny, which involved removing the Drive Shaft. Well, the Douche Bags that worked there would not let me do it myself because of their crazy "do it yourself hours", and I ended up having them do it. The next day, the Drive Shaft fell out of my Jeep when I was going 75mph down the Freeway. They Torqued the piss out of the little tiny strap bolts, and they sheared off at the axle yoke. Eff the Base Hobby Shop. Oh ya, their tools have always been big piles of Crap.
Our lifts were good, there was air, lighting, heat and free electricity. We had a bunch of guys who contracted there labor and knowhow, but it was never mandatory. I kept a roller cabinet there and actually had a set of keys and could work through the night if necessary.
The only real restrictions we had, was parking and extended repairs. There were only so many extended parking spots and you had to be off the lifts by closing time.
I think I was the first to talk Moral Support anywhere into a full CD complete shop set and to pass out printed instructions on how to do most everything, the troops only paid for the paper and ink.
It wasn't perfect, but was actually a pretty good deal. We had disc and drum lathes, exhaust pipe benders, steam Jennies and other neat stuff. The tool budget was finite, guys stole and broke tools faster than we could replace them.
The hobby shops are usually only as good as the guy who runs it and the budget. The boss, me and a few others were clean freaks, we were universally detested.

[Freaky McPants]

The lifts are great, and they do have a lot of specialty equipment. My beef is with the people who work there.

[msrorysddad]

thank you, I had that happen on the interstate in rush hour traffic about 20 years ago. What a drag. Glad to hear you're alright. I was in a hurry and used a brand new impact.

[WB9YZU]

Unless you know what settings achieve the torque result you want with your tools, you are best off the spin them on with the air wrench, then get a torque wrench and go back and retorque the wheels.

I don't recall the specs, but I shoot for 90lbs for aluminum wheels and around 60lbs for steel ones.

[Ray H]

Years ago I had Sams Club rotate my tires and when I got home several of my lug nuts, all the way around the vehicle, were just finger tight. That was my lesson.
Now I always throw a torque wrench on mine. I torque them when I install the lug nuts and I torque them when I get home after having someone else install the nuts. 110 ft/lbs all the way round.

[tbburg]

In '87(or thereabouts) I had a shop(Firestone) install front tires on my Chevy Monza(!) The next day, rattle and clank. Both front tires loose(stopped before they fell off) FF a couple years. 'Shop(Sears) work on my Dodge Coronet(much better, thanks)'Couple days later, rattle/clank,... loose lugs again. Since then I have pissed off an unknown number of mechanics by re-checking the lugs on my car right in their parking lots.

I got old and stupid. Last year I got new tires on my XJ. When I got it home, I was missing a lug nut on my L.R. tire:D Guess what I forgot to do?

ALWAYS check. Either at the shop or when you get it home. If you use an impact wrench, use a torque stick or check with a breaker/lug/torque wrench(your choice)

[fscrig75]

When I rotate my tires and my wife's I always torque them down once all 4 wheels are on the ground and then double check them the next day.

[Deadman 94 xj]

Funny you posted this. I always worry that my tires are going to fall off. Must be a jeep thing...

[Ray H]

Funny you posted this. I always worry that my tires are going to fall off. Must be a jeep thing...

Not a Jeep thing. A buddy of mine's rear wheel on his F150 fell off in the parking lot at work one day. He just had a new set of tires installed and drove straight to work that afternoon.
Its a "techs in too big of a hurry to finish the job" thing.

[Deadman 94 xj]

Yeah, I know. I just got done reading the "You know you drive an xj when" thread lol.

[johnnyc]

I also always check the torque afterwards. Usually, they are way too tight. So I'll loosen them and re-torque.

And I check the tire pressure. Tire shops seem to always put 60 psi in each tire.

[JNickel101]

Funny you posted this. I always worry that my tires are going to fall off. Must be a jeep thing...

This belongs in the "You know you own/drive an XJ when..." thread :D

EDIT: ok, so you beat me to it....lol

[Deadman 94 xj]

.....:D

[Matthew Currie]

I've done it a couple of times over the years, but I've also had XJ alloy rims come loose after they were properly torqued the first time. When I was using alloys, I learned always to recheck the lug nuts after the first hundred miles or so, and almost never found the left ones still tight.

[Begster]

Funny, I've used my impact at home to put my tires on plenty of times, and I've never had any lug nuts come lose, or tires fall off. I will every once and a while use a breaker bar to just go over and tighten them after I'm done with the impact, but that is only probably half the time. I am frequently taking my tires off too.

[IllianaXJ]

It sucks when that happens. Try doing it on a 2 lane bridge on I75 with a utility trailer behind you. It took a while to get the seat cushion out of a particular cavity.

Whenever I'm working on a vehicle and have the tires off, I run the lugs down with the impact on its lowest setting, then lower the lift down, but don't swing the lift arms back until I torque the wheels. Kinda hard to back over the arms, easy to remember to torque.

[neonrog]

I had a set of alloys that just wouldn't stay tight. Pain in the ass...

Man, I really miss having a Auto Hobby Shop close by...

[Sherman_thetank]

This belongs in the "You know you own/drive an XJ when..." thread :D

EDIT: ok, so you beat me to it....lol

x2 thats a quote for a sig right there!:roflmao:

[bjoehandley]

There had been a couple times Dad and I did that on the Turbo Mopars I own, one time I had to make a run to the high school and torque down the wheels on my Lebaron when my Sister drove it to school day after we put fresh brake pads on it. Kinda suprised that I didn't get school security or the local PD called on me while I was there:o


And I check the tire pressure. Tire shops seem to always put 60 psi in each tire.

Have yet to run into that problem, usually they drop the tire pressure to 32psi or what ever the door sticker says from 35-36psi like we normally run in our Jeeps and Vans.

[igotanxj]

That is why they say to always torque your wheels by hand. ;)

[GhostDakota]

ALMOST happened to me before. Huge sway on the highway like WTF is going on.. my suspension is loose. Pulled over to notice I was missing 2-3 lug nuts from each wheel. From then on I made sure to tighten with an impact wrench, then a torque wrench by hand.

[Matthew Currie]

That is why they say to always torque your wheels by hand. ;)I always use a torque wrench and go to 80 foot pounds, but it still didn't suffice with my Jeep alloys. I finally canned the alloy wheels and went back to the good old steel mudcatchers.

[igotanxj]

I always use a torque wrench and go to 80 foot pounds, but it still didn't suffice with my Jeep alloys. I finally canned the alloy wheels and went back to the good old steel mudcatchers.
Weird. I have the stock Jeep alloys too, the 16 inchers that came on the later Limited's I believe. They stay on fine. :dunno:

[bcmaxx]

If we have the wheels off a car for any reason, we have the customer sign a waiver saying the wheels must be retorqued after 100km's, as well as put a reminder tag on the rearview saying what they were torqued to and what the tire pressures are set at. I have seen alot of alloys come loose if not retorqued, not really a problem with steelies though. The first thing I ask if we get a call regarding broken/sheered studs or loose nuts is "did you have your wheel nuts retorqued after?"

[bjoehandley]

Weird. I have the stock Jeep alloys too, the 16 inchers that came on the later Limited's I believe. They stay on fine. :dunno:

Same here, three different types of rims on 4 different XJ's over a 16 year period and probably around 500k miles traveled between the four:confused:

[RichP]

Make sure you have the right lug nuts for the alloys, they need to be the tapered ones. I just by default keep a 1/2" 3ft long torque wrench with the 3" extension and socket in the front of one of my drawers and another one under the back seat, they were $25 ea at the parts store and just save alot of grief. I also keep long breaker bars to loosen them if need be.
I gave the tire guy at sams a hint by leaving it on the passenger seat of my wifes ZJ when we had tires replaced back in oct or so, mentioned 'torque wrench is on the passenger seat and already set at 90' he took the hint and did a double take when his torque stick did not tighten them right.

[Matthew Currie]

Same here, three different types of rims on 4 different XJ's over a 16 year period and probably around 500k miles traveled between the four:confused:Maybe mine were just bad. I got them used, and they were a little corroded. I sometimes wonder if galled or corroded lug seating surfaces or something like that might contribute. The alloy wheels on my old beater Mercedes, and the old beater Volvo that preceded it, had steel inserts, and never loosened.

[bjoehandley]

Maybe mine were just bad. I got them used, and they were a little corroded. I sometimes wonder if galled or corroded lug seating surfaces or something like that might contribute. The alloy wheels on my old beater Mercedes, and the old beater Volvo that preceded it, had steel inserts, and never loosened.

Could be, all four Jeeps had the factory installed aluminum rims when we bought them, both of Dad's had the same style rims and he probably put 300k+ on his two trucks combined.

[Stihl029]

I Had a torque issue with an impact wrench when I was in High School since then I always use a 4 way when I tighten them. Whenever I ahve had tires changed by someone else I always loosen them and retorque to make sure they are correct. Usually they over torque them. A friend of mine and I were at the Auto hobby here not that long ago swapping meats on his Jetta for winter. When we left we noticed that there was some clanking only when he would slow down and he wasn't doing more than 25 till we left base. We got home then he and his wife went back over to the commisary; and he found that his lug nuts had loosened on one side. He had used two different impact wrenches and didn't check them afterwards. He was lucky he caught it in time. I figured that the pnuematics were just over used and not properly maintained is what caused one side to be shot and not the other. I know for a fact the impact wrench i had the issue with in high school was beat after how I had treated it on those damned rear axle nuts on my beatles. They wouldn't break easily so I just held the gun on them longer till they broke. Now I am big on not using pnuematics unless I really need them, however pnuematic ratchets I am cool with.